One Hundred Years Ago

One hundred years ago not a pound of coal, not a cubic foot of illuminating gas had been burned In this country. No iron stoves were used, and no contri vanee for economizing heat was emploved until Dr. Franklin Invented the iron-framed tire-place, which slill bears his name. All the cooking and warming in town and country was done by the nid of lire, kindled in the brick oven or on tbe earth. Plne knots or tallow candles furnished the light for the long winter nights, and sanded floors supplied the place of rugs and carpets. The water used for the household purposes was drawn from deep wells by a cieuking sweep. No forin of pump was used in this country, so far as we can learn until after the emmencement of he present een tury. There were no friction matches in those early days, by the aid of whicli fires could be kindled; and if tlio fire "went out od the hearth'' over night, and the tlruber was so damp that the sparks would not catch, the alternative waR presented of wanderingthrough tbe snow a mile or .-o, to borrowed a brand of a neiglibor. Only one room in any house was warm unless some of tbe family were II; in all the rest the temperature was at zero mmiy nights in the winter. The men and women of a hundred years ago undreased and went vo bed i u a temperature colder thnn that ot our modern b;iius and woodshedf), and